Queen Pourandokht’s imaginary portrait
Buran or Puran, or more correctly, Burandokht or Purandokht (Persian: بوراندخت), was the daughter of King Khosrau II of Persia (590–628). She was one of only two women on the throne of the Sassanid dynasty (the other was her sister and successor Azarmidokht). She was the twenty-sixth Sassanid monarch of Persia, reigning from 630 to 631. When Purandokht ascended to the throne after the murder of the general Shahrbaraz, who killed her nephew Ardashir III, she attempted to bring stability to the empire. This stability was brought about by a peace treaty with the Byzantine Empire, the revitalization of the empire through the implementation of justice, reconstruction of the infrastructure, lowering of taxes, and ‘minting coins’.
*
Queen Pourandokht, the second to last woman on the throne of the Sassanid dynasty c630. Coins at Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg, Russia
She was largely unsuccessful in her attempts to restore the power of the central authority which was weakened considerably by civil wars, and was murdered or died of natural causes soon after.
Ferdowsi refers to Purandokht in his epic poem, the Shahnameh. She was committed to reviving the memory and prestige of her father, during whose reign the Sassanid Empire had grown to its largest territorial extent. [Wikipedia]
It is said… that Queen Purandokht was fond of yogurt, and her chef made her many dishes with drained yogurt and vegetables. These dishes were called Pourani after her, and in time Pourani came to be known as Borani.
There are many kinds of Borani in Persian cooking, such as bademjan (eggplant), esfenaj (spinach), kadu (zucchini), karafs (celery), and labu (red beet). This post focuses on how to make spinach Borani.
Yogurt and Spinach Dip / Borani’e Esfenaj
2 cups plain Greek yogurt, or yogurt of choice
8oz (230gr) spinach
1 Tbsp vegetable oil (to caramelize the onion)
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 medium onion (3 oz / 80 gr), thinly sliced and caramelized -or- 1 Tbsp caramelized onion)
1 small clove garlic, crushed and mashed
½ tsp salt
smidgen turmeric -or- few drops of dissolved saffron (both optional)
black pepper to taste
*
- In a medium-size pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. First add a pinch of salt and then add spinach. As soon as the spinach wilts (less than a minute), drain it in a colander. Let the cooked spinach sit for a while to drain.
-
- Plastic microwave steamer which I use for cooked spinach to drain in, and to put in the refrigerator.
- In a non-stick skillet, add 2 Tbsp oil and heat oil on medium. Add cut onion and caramelize. Spoon out a teaspoonful of caramelized onion for garnish and set aside.
- Add mashed garlic to caramelized onion in the skillet, stir a little, add drained spinach stir and sautee for one minute. Put spinach mixture in a heat-resistant, small serving bowl and set to cool in the refrigerator. (If using already made caramelized onion, heat one tsp of extra virgin olive oil, add the garlic, mix for 5 seconds, add the spinach and stir for 1~2 minute and set to cool.) If adding turmeric, add while stirring the spinach.
Later:
- Add yogurt, salt and pepper to the spinach mixture and mix. Garnish with a teaspoonful of caramelized onion that was set aside, and refrigerate until ready to use.
If using dissolved saffron drops, drop it on the top (decoration) before refrigeration.
*
*
Pingback: Healthy Snack Idea – spinach and yogurt dip | Wellness Inspired
I love yogurt dishes too, like the Queen
Loved reading about the history. I usually have these ingredients on hand, but never thought to put them together. Now I can! Thanks for the recipe!
As you see in the next two posts, there are varieties of recipes to enjoy your yogurt!
Lovely photo at the end and really enjoy the history. Thanks! I would much rather make a dip with yogurt than with sour cream. I’m thinking of adding roasted garlic to this and maybe another version with the spinach and some preserved lemon rinds.
Mmm, sound good!
Fae, I love spinach dips and yours looks fit for a queen!!! Love the interesting story too
I have used sour cream in dips for years and it is about time I switch them out for yoghurt. Love the caramelized onion and the next get together I have I am preparing this within a pumpernickel bread!
I hope you don’t mind if I reblog your link on my reblog page?
Your friends would love it! Pumpernickel sounds good! Are you going to bake it? You have my ‘Carte blanche’.
Mmmh this looks very good and easy to make!Would do nicely as an appetizer with flat bread to dip!
Oh my… though I had it last night, reading your comment, I’m drooling.
)))
Delicious!
Ah, thank you so much for the recipe!
You are welcome!
interesting history on where the name originates from – thank you!
Hi Ani jan! What a pleasant and beautiful surprise! I thought the story was interesting too!
Love the post, you write like the wind: fast and confident! (But oh my gosh: I’ve written a post about this exact food and exact queen and also borani laboo scheduled for next week – ha ha – great minds think alike. Just so you know though I’m not being a copy cat!! We were just on same radar. )
Absolutely, Azita-jan!
There are so many Iranian cultural/culinary sites on WWW, but none with ‘your’ artistic and entertaining presentation style/skills. I sincerely mean this. You are so~ doust’dashtani. Your personality reflects and brings joy, while introducing our rich culture to the readers/World. You astonish me (and many-many I’m sure) with your outlook, thought process and humor through your command of language skills. Azita-jan, please never stop amusing us! ♡ Fae.
I love all the history here, Fae. Lovely post. I’ve made a similar Greek yogurt dish with aubergine(eggplant) but never thought of spinach. And I love spinach so will give your recipe a go.
Great! Do you degorge and caramelize the aubergine before you add to the yogurt?
I cube and fry it gently first till caramelising. Then add lots of garlic, dried mint. It was one of my very first posts on the blog after coming back from Greece where I’d eaten it a lot as Aubergine Salad and wanted to replicate it.
Wonderful story. And delicious recipe. I also like all things yoghurt!
I found it interesting too.
)))